Spain, World Power on Wind Energy

Spain produces 18,000 mW from wind, in a similar level of use as the one in the US.

Spain has become in the last years a true power in generation of renewable energies taking advantage of the winds that cross their regions. With incentive policies for the conformation of wind parks, support to the investigation and development in new technologies Spain, in addition, has been able to reap other benefits to the advantage of the natural resources, like the generation of thousands of direct job positions and a balance in the distribution of the economically active population in the country.
At present Spain produces 18 thousand mW annually through the use of wind energy, almost just like the total demand of our country, and is located in a level similar to the United States. Both countries still are in a second step, separated of the world-wide power, Germany, where the Aeolian energy realizes an important contribution to the national electrical system and is all a source of economic and social development.”
To tell the experience of the Spanish model, Ignacio Nieto, Minister of Energy in Spain, recognized their challenges to overcome for this environmentally sustainable model.

“At the moment 8% of the total energy that it demands Spain are contributed by the Aeolian energy. We want to get in a short term to represent 12% and the challenge is to arrive at 20% of use of renewable energies for year 2020”, counted the civil servant, while it recognized that “that is also the goal in all Europe and at the moment the effort of each country is being discussed to obtain it”.

For the empowerment of this technology, Spain SUBSIDIA this projects with long term warrant. “In countries such as ours where wind electric systems wind parks invest on the market and besides the payment received by this they get an extra retribution from the government. Normally the price of this prime oscillate between 38/40 euros, so the total retribution can be up to 70 euros per mW” detailed Nieto..

The civil servant related that for six months the legislation has been reforming the value of the premiums and the production of wind energy has stood out. “We need that they not only is environmental sustainability but also economic. These new technologies must continue evolving to get to compete with the traditional ones as far as the costs. In these years much has been investigated and that allowed an improvement in the economic equation and from this situation the subsidy does not have to be so high. The incentive must happen to continue with the investigation and the development so that they lower still more”.

And how will they achieve their 30 thousand mW goal within 13 years? Spain has a plan. “We approved a Royal Decree to promote wind energy offshore. In the seas we have a potential production od 10 thousand mW. We can do it, no doubts about it” he said.

Benefic Winds

Wind energy in Spain generates direct job positions for each 50 mW produced. “Nowadays we produce 18 thousand but in a couple of years we expect to produce 30 thousand, it will be a very significant production, due to the job position it is going to create. Plus a complete industrial development happens, with the companies that sustain this growing” emphasized Nieto.

Plus, Nieto valued changes in the migratory behavior that existed before the use of these technologies. “Windy zones where poor zones, people use to migrate from those places to other areas where their life quality was better. After installing these technologies, there has been enrichment from the economical point of view and also the possibility of young people not migrating in order to work in this industry”.

The advantages also noticed in the electrical industry, because of wind energy, their prices dropped due to the fact that the system is based in the competitive offer. “Energies based in nuclear power, carbon, and gas had lower prices”.

Challenges

Apart from its advantages, wind energy in Spanish lands has to avoid a couple of obstacles for the next few years “First, costs; there are researches an development still to be made in order to make the machines less expensive” said Nieto.

The other challenge that they have is to be able to offer a service of energy continuity, still the days in which the wind does not blow. “In Spain there is tips of long ago cold consumption when or much heat. When that happens they produce climatic conditions that they prevent that there is wind. An electrical system always must cross itself the demand in a matter of seconds. Here there is not much flexibility. It cannot lower the tension to you because there are many risks since we contributed 8% of the total energy, is an important question”.

In order to avoid these upheavals, Spain constructs manageable power stations with more efficient technology in economic and environmental terms, from the combined gas use. “2 thousand mW are needed rolling power prepared to compensate that variable, characteristic of technologies like the wind. In the future we will have to make interconnections with France to be able of receiving major volume power by that route”, recognized Grandson.

Finally the Minister reiterated that as well as the use of wind energy offers many advantages, is necessary to continue making an investigation effort to surpass the challenges that this system requires, with solutions that contain renewable technologies as well.

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